A Cowboy Without His Hat
by Magical Girl Pretty Sammy-Chan
Summary: [ONESHOT, Selvine.] Selphie finds out what Irvine looks like without his hat. Or anything else for that matter. R&R!


Author's Notes: Hey guys! This is my first FFVIII one-shot! Selvine! I hope you all enjoy it! Don't forget to leave a review!

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A Cowboy Without His Hat

"A mission in Dollet?" Zell asked, scratching his head. He, Squall, and the others were all gathered on the third floor near the elevator. Squall, being the leader of Garden, had gathered them all to tell them of latest developments in SeeD missions.

"Yeah," Squall nodded. "It's a small mission; just a bit of assistance with a scouting, but I want a few of you to go anyway."

"All right," Quistis nodded. "Who should go, Squall? Do you think you'll need all six of us?"

"No," Squall shook his head. "It really isn't worth the trouble."

"Then who should go?" Rinoa asked.

Squall frowned, then thought for a few seconds, staring at his feet. "Probably only two people will be needed…"

"Oh, oh, oh!"

The group looked up from watching Squall to see Selphie jumping up and down, her hand raised in the air. "Pick me Squall! I'll go!"

Squall looked at Selphie, then sighed and nodded. "All right, Selphie, you go."

"Booyaka!" Selphie cheered, pumping her fist into the air. "Who's coming with me? Will we get to ride the train?"

"Oh yeah!" Zell nodded. "Selphie needs a partner. Who should go with her Squall?"

"Probably a long range fighter…" Squall reasoned. "Since Selphie deals with short range combat, we would want a balance in the ranks."

"How about me?" Rinoa asked, smiling at Squall. A pink blush started to form on Squall's face and he looked away.

"Y-you're…not…you…you're not technically a member of Garden. It would be inappropriate," Squall explained.

"Which means you just don't want your darling princess getting scratched," Quistis giggled behind her hand and Squall shot her a look. Rinoa just laughed and smiled at Squall.

"Then…how about Irvine?" Selphie suggested and Zell nodded.

"Yeah! Irvine would be perfect!"

"All right, Irvine will go with Selphie," Squall agreed, happy to get off the subject of Rinoa and himself. "Got that, Irvine?"

There was a silence.

"Irvine?"

"He's not here?" Quistis asked, frowning while the entire group looked around, not seeing Irvine anywhere in the room. "But Squall called us all to the third floor. Did he not hear the announcement?"

"Oh man!" Zell snapped. "The hell's he doing? Asleep?"

"That's something you would do Zell," Rinoa laughed and Zell blushed.

"I would not!"

"Ooo! Ooo! I'll go find him!" Selphie volunteered, once again jumping up and down. "I bet he's in his room in the dormitories! I'll just go grab him and bring him here!"

"Okay, okay," Squall sighed, massaging his temples as he felt a migraine coming on. "When you find him, bring him back up here for a briefing, then take a Garden vehicle to Dollet, got that?"

"No train?" Selphie pouted. "Man! Oh well, off I go!" Selphie gave them all an energetic wave before she leapt into the elevator and pressed the first floor button. The glass doors shut quickly and she was heading down.

* * *

"Irvine?" Selphie called as she reached the first floor. A few students were milling about, talking to one another, not paying much attention to Selphie. "Irvine, where are you? Irvy?"

There was no answer and Selphie sighed. "I'll just head to the dormitory! I bet he's there."

Selphie leapt down the stairs that lead up to the elevator and jogged around the perimeter of the Garden, passing the Library, the parking lot, then finally reaching the gray-marked dormitories. "Made it," she smiled, then walked up towards the rooms.

* * *

"Now…where was Irvine's room again?" Selphie asked, frowning as she milled through the single room halls. "Oh, I wish I could remember. Was it 505? No, that's Rinny's. 508? No…that's Squall's! I should have written it down!"

Selphie stopped as she heard a small movement coming from the room to the right of her. She turned her head and looked up at the number. "503! Of course! That's Irvy's room!"

She gave an energetic knock on the door and waited patiently for Irvine to open the door. But, to her dismay, no one came. "Irvine?" she called. No answer. "I'm sure I heard someone in there. Maybe he can't hear me."

Selphie knocked again, but this try was just as futile as the last. She pouted, then looked curiously at the door handle. She looked up and down the hall to make sure no one was watching, then grabbed it, and, to her surprise, found the door to slide open perfectly. Irvine obviously hadn't locked it.

No doubt, this was Irvine's room. The bed was unmade, and a few rifles in a glass case sat on the edge of an oak wood table. A few pictures on an end table showed him and Selphie with the rest of the gang. One near his bed was a picture of Selphie smiling as the wind blew her hair. That picture had been taken at the dock in Balamb…

"Irvine?" Selphie called. No one responded. She sighed, then noticed a hall that led to another room. "Maybe he's in that room." She figured, shrugging.

Without a second thought, she bounded down the hall towards the door. Her eye was caught by what looked like a dirty magazine under a dresser, but she ignored it, turning slightly pink. Finally, she reached the door, put her hand on the knob, and opened it.

"Irvine?" she called, stepping into the room without looking first. She closed the door behind her, then turned around and gasped as she realized where she was.

A bathroom.

Of course! Single rooms didn't share a communal shower, they had their own showers and baths! But…if Irvine was in the room…and he wasn't in the main room…and this was a bathroom…then…

It was too late.

The shower door swung open from behind Selphie, and she wheeled around to see none other then a stark naked Irvine step out of the shower.

Both of their eyes widened to the size of melons. Selphie felt a red blush creep up her face at an alarmingly fast rate. But…even if she felt hugely embarrassed…

She couldn't look away.

Irvine stood before her, his hair down, his face and body wet, and his well toned arms and legs shining in the light of bathroom. His chest was remarkably well built, as were his strong arms, most likely from training at Galbadia Garden. The water dripped off his arms down to his fingers, which, Selphie noticed now that he had his gloves off, had heavy calluses on them from holding his guns.

His neck was thicker then Selphie had thought before, and his shoulders were extremely broad. Selphie thought she could have sat on them if she wanted. His eyes were an amazingly shiny blue. Not a sky-blue like her own, or a stormy blue like Squall's, but a blue that reminded Selphie of thick ice.

His ears were brilliantly curved, and Selphie noticed that a single hole sat in his right lobe where his earring went. His eyebrows sat beautifully above his eyes, and the bridge of his nose was slightly curved in a perfect form.

But the most amazing thing about Irvine…the one thing that almost made Selphie gasp in reverence…the most beautiful thing that Irvine possessed…

Was his hair.

It was so…so…._long_. Selphie hadn't noticed how long it was before now. It was no longer bridle in its usual ponytail, but it was let down to fall freely. Being wet, it fell even past Irvine's mid back and draped over his shoulders and chest.

It was a brilliant honey brown that shined brilliantly in the light. Every small motion made a beautiful reflection.

The water dripping from his mane trickled down over his chest and abs. The water outlined every part of his immaculate body. The way his hair fell over his muscular arms and chest…made him look almost angelic.

He had to be the most beautiful creature Selphie had ever seen.

"I'm so sorry!" They both said hurriedly, Selphie turning away and Irvine grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist.

"S-s-s-sorry I-I-Irvine!" Selphie stuttered uncontrollably, closing her eyes and trying to make the red blush on her face disappear. She ran for the door, threw it open, and jumped out as fast as she could.

She gave a huge gasp for air as she closed the door.Turning around, sheflattened her back against the bathroom door, breathing heavily and trying to make herblush lower. It was no use, she must have had a body temperature of at least a hundred degrees. She sighed, looked at the wall in front of her… 

And smiled.

"Well," she giggled. "I guess that's what a cowboy looks like without his hat."

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The End! I hope you enjoyed it!

Sammy


End file.
